Tick Tock
by deadlydaisy8o8
Summary: Danny and Clockwork short story. I have to say Clockwork is one of my favorite charecters, and i was disapointed with the amount of fic's that centered around him. So here I am adding my own!


_Hello all! First i would like to say thank you to all of the people who have read my other recent drabble "When Danny Snapped". I am still getting comments and Fav's it truly touches my heart. (if you havent read it and would like to check it out it's about Danny finally giving Dash what he deserves. Go ahead and read it if you want, you'll make me happy!) But anyway, i'm in the process of writing a humongous fic right now (it's already over 40,000 words) and i always find myself needing to vent my musings about Danny and other characters. "When Danny Snapped" was born for that reason as was this. So with strictly the purpose to sooth my muses in mind, read on!_

* * *

Danny was on his way to Clockworks tower. His friends didn't know where he was. He'd never really thought of bringing them with him. There was just something about it that didn't seem right. Danny readjusted his backpack on his shoulder. Clockwork had agreed to help him with his homework. He was surprised that the old ghost had agreed so quickly. He was sure he would've had to at least do _some_convincing, but Clockwork was always surprising him. It was like a special ability of his. That and the ability to make all of the stress of his life disappear. He didn't know what it was about being with the Ghost of Time, but he felt like he could be a genuine teen in his presence; that the world no longer rested on his shoulders. Clockwork had acted as a kind of a second father to Danny. Though, father wasn't really the right word. He was a friend; abeit a very close one. A mentor maybe? Clockwork had taught him a lot about his powers. Not training him like fruitloop wanted to; but telling him information about them, how they operated. It was interesting, he learned stuff he never would've thought possible if Clockwork hadn't brought it up. Like how he could use his ghost sense to tell _which_ ghost was around. That his ghostly energy replenished itself faster because of the help of his human metabolism. That he still had a couple more powers to gain. Though Clockwork wouldn't tell him what they were. He said it would ruin the 'surprise'. Danny wandered lazily through the field of clocks, the myriad of ticking quickly fading into the background noise of his head. He didn't hesitate when he landed on the front step. He opened the door with confidence and strode down the hallway to the room where he knew he would most likely find the master of time.

"Hey Clockwork." Danny swung his bag off of his shoulder and plopped it down on the ground next to one of only two chairs in the room. He'd sat here every time he came to Clockwork's tower; it was the only place he really felt he could sit down. This was where the Ghost of Time had first invited him to sit, when he had initially arrived at his door step in a blind rage.

* * *

_Danny had been laying in his bed, thinking. This was never a good idea. He was trying _not_ to think about what happened at the Nasty Burger. He had to keep reminding himself that it _didn't _happen. If it wouldn't have been for Clockwork he didn't know where he'd be right now. Well he did, actually, and that was not the place he wanted to be. He thought of all the things the Ghost of Time had done for him; or rather the one enormous thing. A question popped into Danny's head. Why did Clockwork send all those enemies from the future? If they wouldn't have shown up he wouldn't have destroyed the Nasty Burger and his family wouldn't have even been in the slightest bit of danger. On impulse Danny got up, went ghost, and phased down to the Fenton portal. He was going to go ask Clockwork himself. _

_On the way there he mused. 'Why would Clockwork put his family in danger like that?' At that thought, a slight flame of annoyance was lit deep within him. As he continued to think on the subject, the flame only grew, until it was a giant inferno of rage and confusion. 'How could Clockwork do such a thing? How could he intentionally put innocent people in danger? More specifically, his family!' By the time Danny had reached Clockwork's door he was seething. His fists were alight with a blaze of ecto-energy, his eyes shone a toxic green with furry. He had every intention of letting Clockwork know exactly how he felt about his family being put in harm's way. Danny didn't know what possessed him to knock on the door instead of barging in; either way the door tremmored under his fist as he pounded with vigor. There was a second as Danny waited for someone to open the door. Finally the door casually swung inward. Danny knew he shouldn't have been so surprised to see who answered the door. Clockwork floated in the doorframe. A knowing grin on his face. Danny looked into those deep red eyes and he felt all of the anger he had built up, all the rage, drain out of him. His eyes dimed to a point where they were barely glowing at all, his fists fell to his sides, he registered somewhere in the back of his brain that his feet where on the ground. All he could focus on at the moment was those knowing red eyes. They sympathized with him, knew all of his pain. Danny felt a wave of sadness come down on him. He felt his shoulders drop slightly with the weight. Clockwork started to speak._

"_Hello Danny, I've been expecting you to drop by. Please come in." Clockwork moved aside and gestured with his arm for the Ghost Boy to step inside the door. As Danny did so, he suddenly felt very small, like he was a helpless, lost, hungry puppy, and Clockwork was the loving human who had decided to feed him and let him spend the night. Danny followed Clockwork down a maze of halls, unintentionally drifting closer to the Ghost of Time. As if he might be a shield from all the sadness that seemed to be choosing this moment to crash down around him. Clockwork led Danny into a dimly lit room; the only light coming from the wall opposite the door. It was covered in what looked like circle TV's; on each screen a different scene was being displayed. The wall was so crammed with the odd devices that they were overlapping in some places. In the middle of the wall, was the largest screen, and the one obviously most used. Absently, Danny followed Clockwork to two large plushy chairs facing the wall of screens. In front of the two chairs there was a coffee table made of a dark glossy wood. A doily sat in the middle of the table holding a large plate of chocolate chip cookies. The whole spectacle looked like it was supposed to be some bizarre living room._

"_Here please sit. Have a cookie if you like, I was under the impression that you seemed to like these sorts of things." Danny glanced up at Clockwork from behind his long bangs, and nodded. He reached out to take one of the gooey looking treats before he looked back at Clockwork. The ghost of time only grinned and gave a small nod. Danny picked one up and started to eat it. He was suddenly aware of the warm tear that had started to streak down his cheek. It occurred to him how pathetic this whole situation was. There he sat, in the Ghost of Time's lair, crying for no reason, eating a godforsaken chocolate chip cookie! The thought almost made him laugh._

_Almost._

_He finished the cookie and had licked the crumbs from his fingers. He drew his knees up into the chair and hugged his legs. As he felt another tear make its trip down his cheek._

"_Tell me what's wrong Danny." Clockwork didn't say it as a question. He already knew what was wrong. He just needed to get the boy to admit it to himself. Danny looked back up into those all knowing eyes. As he held Clockwork's gaze, he felt as though nothing could possibly touch him. He was perfectly safe as long as Clockwork was there. Danny drew in a long breath before he answered._

_He did he didn't stop talking for a very long time. He laid it all out. Every single little thing that had been bothering him. From the fact that he might not be good enough to protect the ones he loved, to the way his locker had a dent in it so that it made it really hard to get it to stay shut. He talked, he cried, he sobbed, he yelled, he whispered, and Clockwork listened to it all. He paid attention to every detail, never interrupting to tell him to stop. He frowned when Danny was sad, looked stern when Danny was mad, he nodded in all the right places, and even smiled once or twice in encouragement. The plate of cookies on the table was long gone, Danny having eaten them all. When Danny was done spilling his guts he laid back in the chair. He felt much better. Literally, like the world had been lifted off his shoulders. He felt a genuine smile fall over his lips. Something that hadn't happened in a couple of days. He turned to look at Clockwork._

"_Well that was weird." Clockwork let out a short chuckle._

"_Stranger things have happened." Clockwork picked up his staff and got out of the chair. Danny took his cue and stood as well, stretching and yawning. They stood in companionable silence for a moment. The light of the screens in front of them dancing on their faces. Clockwork smiled at the boy._

"_Well I do believe it's time for you to be going if you wish to be getting any sleep before tomorrow." Danny almost looked a little saddened at what the time ghost had said._

"_Of course you are always welcome, here. Though I usually don't like company, yours tends to be rather, interesting." Clockwork flashed Danny a smile with an almost mischievous glint in his eye. It blew totally over Danny's head in his currently excited state._

"_You really mean that?" Danny liked being with Clockwork. He could be a real kid when he was here. He didn't have to be the hero. He'd already made that painfully obvious by bickering and complaining for however many hours strait. He looked up to the Ghost of Time with something akin to awe._

"_Of course. My door is always open." Danny's smile grew bigger, and he was much happier. Without having to say a word Clockwork led Danny back to the front door. He stopped when they arrived there and looked at Danny._

"_I'll always be watching Danny. I'll always be here if you ever need someone to listen." Danny beamed up at the ghost and before he totally registered what he was doing. He had his arms wrapped around the thick trunk of the Ghost of Time. His face was pressed against the surprisingly warm glass that was Clockwork's middle._

_Clockwork stiffened, and for only the third time in all of eternity, he was surprised. Clockwork blinked furiously, before what had just happened sunk in. He couldn't help himself; he started to laugh. Danny released his hold on the old ghost and looked up with a curious rejected look on his face. Clockwork just continued to laugh, clutching his middle. Finally prompting Danny to ask._

"_What's so funny?" The Ghost of Time tried to rein in his laughter. He managed enough to tell the young halfa what it was that had caused him so much joy._

"_It appears as though you, surprised me." Danny looked confused at the ghost for a moment before the implications hit him._

"_You mean you didn't know that was going to happen? Have you ever even _been_ surprised before?" Clockwork smiled a genuine smile that reached all the way to his core._

"_Only ever twice before in the course of all time." Danny looked up at Clockwork in shock._

"_I surprised you." Clockwork nodded. Danny suddenly had a very evil glare in his eye. "This is great; I surprised the Ghost of Time!" Clockwork looked at Danny with humor lingering in his eyes, and asked the question he already knew the answer to._

"_I'm not ever going to live this down am I?"Danny grinned up at the old ghost before him._

"_Nope." Was his simple answer before he flew off._

"_See you Clockwork, thanks for everything!" Danny waved as he disappeared behind a large floating coo-coo-clock. _

* * *

_Danny had come back a week later just to talk with Clockwork. He fully intended to take the ghost up on his offer. He felt more at home with Clockwork than he did in his own bed. Owning to the fact that he slept nights at Clockwork's tower sometimes. They ended up watching a little slide show of particularly hilarious moments that Clockwork had saved and put in a separate place for safekeeping. It was like an episode of the world's funniest home videos. As often as Danny could slip away, he came to the tower. He watched things around the world unfold at Clockwork's side. Clockwork told him about the things he wanted to know. He learned about his powers, and where they came from, how they worked. Though there were things that were off limits, like the future, more specifically his future, that he wasn't allowed to see. And of course interfering, that was very strictly forbidden._

* * *

"Boo." Danny screamed like a little girl and fell to the floor with a thud. Clockwork stood behind Danny's chair laughing evilly. Danny scowled playfully up at Clockwork.

"Common you gotten me back for that one time, like, a bazillion times now, will you give it a rest!" Clockwork only continued to chuckle, however calmed slightly. Danny grumbled and got up off the floor.

"Actually it's only been 226 times. You know for a half-ghost you're particularly easy to scare." Clockwork floated over from behind the chair to look at Danny.

"History homework?" Clockwork had to suppress an amused grin. Danny continued to take all the books out of his bag.

"Well duh, I'd be stupid not to bring it. You're the ghost of time. You practically _are_history!" Not at all taking the joke the wrong way Clockwork smiled brighter. His 'life' had gotten significantly better in the young ghosts company. The young boy made him feel whole, in a way. He liked having a person to share all his knowledge with, especially someone as curious as Danny Fenton. He was responsible for the boy after he had interfered with his timeline, but now it was different. He felt he had to protect the boy, in a way he could only describe as fatherly.

"When was-"

"1776" Clockwork abruptly cut Danny off. Clockwork already knew what Danny was going to say and only really went through whole conversations for the common courtesy of it. Danny sighed.

"Am I really that much fun to annoy?" Danny slapped his pencil down on the table.

"Unfortunately, yes." Clockwork floated over to one of the screens sitting idly on the wall. He waved his hand over the surface and an image of a bloody battle field appeared. Danny, recognizing what Clockwork was doing, got up and walked over. Clockwork talked knowing the young ghost was within earshot.

"Your nation was born out of much blood. But the people who founded it, who believed in it. They had very pure intentions." Danny nodded absentmindedly captivated by the furious battle taking place before his eyes. 1776, he was never going to forget that year.

* * *

_Well how'd I do? I never Beta my drabbles just becdause i don't want to bother people with such little stories. Oh and for all the people out there who don't know, 1776 is the year America gained independence from Britian. any questions or comments pleasre let me know. You know how to get a hold of me! (points to little green button)_


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